1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for forming balls of twine and more particularly to a twine winding assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In preparing a ball of thread or twine, a cylindrical spool is usually utilized, the spool having a central bore therethrough which is fitted over the spindle of a winding machine. The outer surface of the spindle is provided with laterally extending spring-biased arms or fingers which are operable to engage the surface of the bore so as to prevent the spool from rotating about the spindle during the winding process.
Those fingers are fairly delicate and, as such, break off which renders that spindle inoperative. The capacity of the winding machines is, of course, thereby diminished due to the broken fingers on the spindles.
Parsons, U.S. Pat. No. 2,654,542, discloses a plastic spool having longitudinal grooves in its bore that receive spring arms or wires which are longitudinally arranged on a hexagonal spool-receiving spindle shank.
The disadvantages with the prior art structures include their use of blades or spring arms which are easily susceptible to breakage. Additionally, means had to be provided in the spool bore, such as grooves, to properly align the spool on the spindle.